The theme of the 2014 World Day of Audiovisual Heritage says it all--there is so much more to be done to ensure the long-term preservation of the world’s shared heritage.

Audiovisual documents, such as films, radio and television programmes, provide primary records of the 20th and 21 st centuries, helping to maintain the common memory of all humanity.
As monumental shifts transform the way that information and resources are generated, accessed and managed and as an increasing quantity of audiovisual material emerges in digital form--including emails, blogs, social networks, and websites–all audiovisual heritage is endangered today. Millions of films, audio and video tapes and discs are at risk of crumbling into dust, fading away and disappearing.

To respond, we must recognise and raise awareness about these challenges – this is the importance of the World Day of Audiovisual Heritage. We must also craft new approaches to archival programmes and train archivists to adapt to a changing political, technological, and cultural environment. Preservation professionals should be given all of the support that they need to safeguard the common audiovisual heritage of humanity.

These goals guide all of UNESCO’s action through the Memory of the World programme,launched in 1992 to protect and promote the world’s documentary heritage through improved strategies for preservation and access. We build here on the comprehensive set of international instruments that UNESCO has developed to protect cultural and documentary heritage, whose implementation we support by building capacities at the local and national levels. This is especially important in
situations of crisis or disaster.

We must act today to ensure that future generations can enjoy humanity’s common audiovisual heritage tomorrow. This heritage carries lessons, information and knowledge that are essential to share. It is a foundation of identity and belonging as well as a wellspring of innovation and creativity. This is why archives are so important as guardians of our collective memory, guaranteeing the right to truth as well as the ‘right to know’.

In this spirit, I call upon all Governments to strengthen national policies to preserve and provide access to audiovisual heritage in all forms and to support professional activities for identifying and preserving collections of enduring value. This is UNESCO’s message on the 2014 World Day of Audiovisual Heritage.

The United Nations is needed more than ever at this time of
multiple crises. Poverty, disease, terrorism, discrimination and
climate change are exacting a heavy toll. Millions of people continue
to suffer deplorable exploitation through bonded labour, human
trafficking, sexual slavery or unsafe conditions in factories, fields
and mines. The global economy remains an uneven playing field.
The founding of the United Nations was a solemn pledge to the
world’s people to end such assaults on human dignity, and lead the way
to a better future. There have been painful setbacks, and there is much
work ahead to realize the Charter’s vision. But we can take heart from
our achievements.
The UN Millennium Development Goals have inspired the most
successful anti-poverty campaign ever. United Nations treaties
addressing inequality, torture and racism have protected people, while
other agreements have safeguarded the environment. UN peacekeepers have
separated hostile forces, our mediators have settled disputes and our
humanitarian workers have delivered life-saving aid.
At this critical moment, let us reaffirm our commitment to
empowering the marginalized and vulnerable. On United Nations Day, I
call on Governments and individuals to work in common cause for the
common good.

In observance of United Nations Day, a special concert entitled “UN Day Concert 2014: Lang Lang & Friends” will take place on Friday, 24 October 2014, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the newly renovated General Assembly Hall.

Performing with Lang Lang will be an international youth
orchestra representing five continents, assembled especially for the
occasion, to be conducted by Manuel López-Gómez. Manuel López-Gómez, as well as many of the youth musicians hail from the renowned El Sistema programme, which provides music education to children from poor social-economic backgrounds.

As such, the concert offers an opportunity to highlight the
United Nations’ focus on youth and the education of global citizens. It
also marks an important milestone during the yearlong global
observance of the 70th anniversary of the Organization.

The proclamation of 24 October as United Nations Day is an
acknowledgment of the global efforts and achievements of the
Organization since its creation in 1945. The observance serves as an
occasion to highlight, celebrate and reflect on the work of the United
Nations and its family of agencies through the universal language of
music.
UN Day Concert 2014: “Lang Lang & Friends” will stream live at 7:00 p.m. EDT via webcast at www.un.org/webcast.

The General Assembly in 1972 instituted World Development Information Day to draw the attention of world public opinion to
development problems and the need to strengthen international
cooperation to solve them (resolution 3038 (XXVII)). The Assembly
decided that the date for the Day should coincide in principle with
United Nations Day, 24 October, which was also the date of the
adoption, in 1970, of the International Development Strategy for the
Second United Nations Development Decade.
The Assembly felt that improving the dissemination of information
and the mobilization of public opinion, particularly among young
people, would lead to greater awareness of the problems of development,
thus, promoting efforts in the sphere of international cooperation for
development.

On this day we recommit to think, decide and act together against extreme poverty -- and plan for a world where no-one is left behind.

We have reached the Millennium Development Goal target of halving the proportion of people living in poverty ahead of time. At least 700 million people were lifted out of extreme poverty between 1990 and 2010.

Despite this enormous success, one in every five persons in developing regions -- 1.22 billion people -- live on less than $1.25 a day, and 2.4 billion live on less than $2 a day. Since the beginning of the financial crisis, inequality has grown even more pronounced than it was already. Discrimination against women and girls remains a blatant injustice, robbing the entire development enterprise of one of the keys to progress.

Entrenched poverty and prejudice, and vast gulfs between wealth and destitution, can undermine the fabric of societies and lead to instability. Where poverty holds sway, people are held back. Lives disfigured by poverty are cruel, mean and, often, short.

As we prepare the post-2015 sustainable development agenda and address the threat of climate change, we must not lose sight of our most fundamental obligation: to eliminate poverty in all its forms. We must also end the marginalization of people living in poverty. Their knowledge and perspectives are vital if we are to find meaningful, durable solutions.

I urge Member States and all partners to act decisively together to eradicate poverty and build a sustainable, peaceful, prosperous and equitable future for all. Our aim must be prosperity for all, not just a few.

Ban Ki-moon

The 2014 Commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty (IDEP) will be held on Friday, 17 October at United Nations Headquarters in New York, focusing on the theme - "Leave no one behind: think, decide and act together against extreme poverty".

This year's event is organized in partnership with the International Movement ATD Fourth World, the NGO Sub-committee for the Eradication of Poverty and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, supported by the Missions of France and Burkina Faso to the United Nations.

The 2014 theme recognises and underscores the demanding challenge of identifying and securing the participation of those experiencing extreme poverty and social exclusion in the “Post-2015 Development Agenda” that will replace the Millennium Development Goals.

The call to “Leave no one behind” points to the urgent need to eliminate discrimination, marginalisation and exclusion based on poverty, ethnic origin, gender, age, disability or economic and social status. It will require concerted action to actively reach out to the most impoverished and excluded groups in our societies. At the core of such action must be the alignment of development policies and targets, and their implementation, with human rights norms and standards, in keeping with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights .

The call “To think, decide and act together against extreme poverty” highlights the need to include people living in poverty as partners in building our understanding and knowledge of more sustainable forms of development. Local, national and international institutions must create genuine participatory mechanisms, with accountability and grievance mechanisms at all levels, while working as partners with communities to strengthen their own support organisations.

In particular, this call requires that we promote and support an economy that is inclusive, equitable and sustainable. That is, an economy that protects the environment, fosters the creation of full employment and decent work opportunities for all, and ensures high quality education and healthcare with improved results for all, including people living in extreme poverty.

Ultimately, the success of the “Post-2015 Development Agenda” will depend on the full and meaningful participation of all people, actively supported by increased commitments at the political, economic, social and cultural levels in all countries.

In addition to the Commemoration in New York, celebrations of this International Day are being organized worldwide. Through resolution A/RES/47/196 adopted on 22 December 1992, the General Assembly invited all States to devote the Day to presenting and promoting concrete activities with regard to the eradication of poverty and destitution.

Also in commemoration of the international day, a ten-part exhibition of collective artwork by people living in poverty will be featured at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Each collection shows how the human act of creation—whether by rousing strength and hope, or bestowing a peaceful calm–helps people to hold their heads high, to come together in dignity, and to leave no one behind. The exhibition, entitled "Leave No One Behind", will be held from 13 to 17 October in the 1B Corridor to the Vienna Cafe.

Use #EndPoverty to post your messages about the Millennium Development Goals and the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
For more information or message ideas, follow mcampaign on Facebook and Twitter.

The 2014 World Food
Day theme - Family Farming: “Feeding the world, caring for the earth” -
has been chosen to raise the profile of family farming and smallholder farmers.
It focuses world attention on the significant role of family farming in
eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition,
improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the
environment, and achieving sustainable development, in particular in
rural areas.

The UN General Assembly
has designated 2014 “International Year of Family Farming.” This is a
strong signal that the international community recognizes the important
contribution of family farmers to world food security.

Launch of FAO’s State of Food and Agriculture report on Family
Farming; Committee on World Food Security to address responsible
investment in agriculture.

Every year on World Food Day, 16 October, FAO and its member countries
commemorate the founding of FAO in 1945. This year World Food Day will
focus on family farming. Please find below a list of the main activities
around World Food Day/World Food Week taking place at FAO headquarters
in Rome.

10.00h - Ahead of World Food Day, Li
Keqiang, Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China, will meet
FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva and at 10.00 deliver a
speech on China's accomplishments and contribution to global food security and agricultural development.

15.00h - Launch of the Thomson Reuters Foundation's online hunger and nutrition news platform, which is supported by FAO as part of a recently agreed partnership.

The
platform aims to improve global information and awareness on hunger and
food-related issues including food production, food security, food
waste, agriculture, land use, and malnutrition. The launch event also
includes a roundtable discussion titled "Feeding the global family: Does climate change put us all at risk?". Panelists include representatives of FAO, the Thomson Reuters Foundation, civil society and the private sector.More information on the FAO-Thomson Reuters Foundation partnership can be found here.

Thursday, 16 October

10.00h - Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the UN Secretary-General's
Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development and John Kufuor,
Former President of the Republic of Ghana, will be the keynote speakers
at the World Food Day ceremony.

The 2014 World Food Day theme Family Farming: "Feeding the world, caring for the earth"
- focuses world attention on the significant role of family farming in
eradicating hunger, poverty and malnutrition and achieving sustainable
development.
More information is available on the World Food Day website.11.45h - Press conference to launch of FAO's annual flagship publication The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA). The report focuses this year on innovation in family farming.
The report which will be presented by FAO Director-General José
Graziano da Silva, highlights the need to promote the sustainable
development of the more than 500 million family farms that manage the
majority of the world's agricultural land and produce most of the
world's food. 14.30h - Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and EU Commissioner Dacian Ciolos will take part in a Special Event organized jointly by CFS, World Food Day and the International Year of Family Farming entitled "Innovation in Family Farming: Towards Ensuring Food Security and Nutrition"

Friday, 17 October

10.00h - Signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding between FAO and National Geographic to raise awareness on food and agriculture issues
with FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva and National
Geographic Chief Content Officer, Chris Johns and Deputy Creative
Director and Future of Food Project Leader Kaitlin Yarnall.

The event also sees the inauguration of an exhibit showcasing National Geographic magazine's "The Future of Food" series. More information on the FAO-National Geographich partnership can be found here.

15.30h -Official awards presentation for the Short Food Movie Competition
will take place at a media event at Teatro Studio G. Borgna -
Auditorium Parco della Musica during the Rome Film Festival. Italian
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry
Policies, Maurizio Martina, Italian Minister of Heritage, Cultural
Activity and Tourism, Dario Franceschini and the UN Commissioner for
Expo Milano 2015, Eduardo Rojas will speak at the event.

The Short Food Movie initiative is a global open call for videos inspired by the theme for Expo Milano 2015, " Feeding the planet. Energy for Life".The initiative includes a UN category dedicated to the Zero Hunger Challenge,
which calls for videos about any of the five pillars of the Zero Hunger
Challenge or the UN focus area for Expo Milano 2015, women's
empowerment and gender equality. More information can be found here.

Sunday, 19 October

10.00h - The 9th edition of Hunger Run, the
annual, open to the public race and non-competitive run/walk, will see
registration fees target the poorest of the poor and go towards projects
that improve their ability to produce and access food, and that
ultimately improve people's lives. The run is organized by Gruppo
Sportivo Bancari Romani on behalf of the FAO, IFAD, WFP, Bioversity
International with the collaboration of sponsors and partners.Learn more about Hunger Run 2014.

° The latest FAO estimates indicate that global hunger reduction continues: about 805
million people are estimated to be chronically undernourished in
2012–14, down more than 100 million over the last decade, and 209
million lower than in 1990–92. In the same period, the prevalence of
undernourishment has fallen from 18.7 to 11.3 percent globally and from
23.4 to 13.5 percent for developing countries.

° Since 1990-92,
63 countries have reached the hunger target of MDG-1 and 25 countries
have achieved the more stringent WFS target. Of the 63 developing
countries, 11 already had undernourishment levels below 5 percent (the
methodological limit that can assure significance of the results
different from zero) in 1990-1992 and have been able to keep it in that
interval, and are therefore not the prime focus of the 2014 report.

° The figures demonstrate that the hunger target of the Millennium
Development Goal – of halving the proportion of undernourished people in
developing countries by 2015 – is within reach. Despite overall
progress, marked differences across regions persist. Latin America and
the Caribbean have made the greatest overall progress in increasing food
security with modest progress in sub-Saharan Africa and Western Asia,
which have been afflicted by natural disasters and conflict.

°
Sustained political commitment at the highest level, with food security
and nutrition as top priorities, is a prerequisite for hunger
eradication. The case studies of the State of Food Insecurity in the
World 2014 report show that regions such as Africa and the Latin America
and the Caribbean, as well as individual countries have strengthened
their political commitment to food security and nutrition.

°
Hunger reduction requires an integrated approach, and needs to include:
public and private investments to raise agricultural productivity;
better access to inputs, land, services, technologies and markets;
measures to promote rural development; social protection for the most
vulnerable, including strengthening their resilience to conflicts and
natural disasters; and specific nutrition programmes, particularly to
address micronutrient deficiencies in mothers and children under five.

My mother has lived her whole life in the countryside. Although she did not receive much of a formal education, I grew up appreciating her wisdom, resilience and intelligence. In the course of my subsequent public service, I came to see that these qualities are shared by millions of rural women around the world.Collectively, rural women are a force that can drive global progress. We must harness that power to achieve our three interlinked objectives for next year: accelerating our work towards the Millennium Development Goals, adopting a new vision for sustainable development, and concluding a meaningful universal climate agreement.Because they often live on the frontlines of poverty, natural disasters and other threats, rural women have an enormous stake in the success of our global campaigns.The majority of rural women depend on natural resources for their livelihoods. In developing countries, they make up more than 40 per cent of the agricultural labour force. They produce, process and prepare many of society’s meals, frequently taking primary responsibility for household food security, health status and education opportunities.When we give rural women access to productive agricultural and natural resources, we empower them. They, in turn, can contribute more to alleviating hunger and boosting the ability of their communities to cope with the effects of climate change, land degradation and displacement. This benefits all people.But to reap these rewards, we must address the discrimination and deprivation that rural women continue to suffer. Too many lack access to land, markets, finance, social protection and services. Many also face grave security risks in the course of their life-saving tasks, such as collecting water or fuel.The International Day of Rural Women is an occasion to listen to their voices and respond to their concerns. Together, let us work to unleash the power of rural women by protecting their human rights, supporting their economic advancement, and enabling them to fully contribute to our shared future.

The project aimed to develop and demonstrate
a suitable system for the routine maintenance of rural roads, thus
ensuring improved road conditions, lower transport costs, and more
continuous access to townships and villages in the province. At the same
time, the project aimed to generate employment opportunities for
women and ethnic minority groups in rural areas, allowing them to earn a
steady income and improve their livelihoods.

As a human family, we are growing older. Globally, approximately
700 million people – 10 per cent of the world’s population – are over
the age of 60, and by 2030, there will be more elderly persons than
children for the first time in history.
This year’s commemoration of the International Day for Disaster
Reduction is an opportunity to recognize the role of older men and
women in fostering resilience.
When a natural disaster hits, older persons suffer
disproportionately high levels of death and injuries. This tragic trend
must be reversed through plans, services and support that ensure we
address the vulnerabilities facing older persons while optimizing their
contributions to our collective safety and wellbeing.
Disaster planning must take account of the reduced mobility
experienced by many older persons. We have to enable them to prepare
for a potential disaster, reach safety and protect themselves. The
needs of older persons should also be taken into account in early
warning systems, social protection mechanisms, evacuation and emergency
response plans, and public awareness campaigns.
At the same time, it is important to recognize that older
persons have strengths that can serve the community at large. Their
years of experience can help in reducing risks posed by disasters. We
should involve them in disaster risk management as well as related
planning and decision-making processes. Older persons can also
meaningfully enrich our critical global discussions on addressing
climate change and achieving sustainable development.
On this International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, let us
remind ourselves that building resilience to disasters has no time
limit in one’s life; it starts in youth and grows more important as we
age.

Vulnerability to natural hazards is increasing to alarming rates, as their frequency intensifies, and exacerbated by rapid population growth and ageing populations. The 2014 International Day
for Disaster Reduction is dedicated to older people, to their needs and
to their contribution to better planning and understanding disaster
risks in their communities.

We know well that age is a major factor for evacuation during emergencies. Older people are also more
vulnerable than younger groups to injuries resulting from such weather
extremes as heatwaves, storms and floods. It is projected that by 2050,
people over the age of sixty will represent 22 percent of the world’s
population, twice the current number. This is why we must start today to
include the concerns of older people in all planning and preparations
to mitigate the risks of disasters.

We must also listen more carefully to the voices of
older people, whose contribution to tackling environment challenges is
underestimated. Our elders are forces for resilience, thanks to their
understanding of natural phenomena, including within traditional
knowledge systems and those of indigenous people. This vast reservoir of
knowledge can help in improving preparedness as well as in preventing
disasters, thanks to the wisdom that older people can share about local
phenomena. Mitigating the risks of disasters must build on local
foundations, drawing on the views and needs of local communities, who
are the first affected by natural disasters.

This was a key message that UNESCO sent at the 3rd
International Conference on Small Island Developing States, held in
Apia, Samoa, during the High-Level Event on Coping with and adapting to
Ocean Threats for Resilient SIDS Communities. UNESCO is acting across
all areas of its mandate and across the world to build a global culture
of resilience for local communities. In Viet Nam, we have been working
with media institutions to train journalists in producing written and
broadcast material that highlights the vulnerability of older people, as
well as women and children, during evacuation situations and calling
for more inclusive prevention plans.

Resilience is more than simply recovery from
adversity –- it must be about building stronger societies today to
prepare for tomorrow. On this International Day for Disaster Reduction, I
call on all Governments and all relevant actors to integrate older
people in programmes and plans of disaster risk reduction, and to ensure
the participation of local communities into all stages of planning.
This is essential to lay the ground for a more sustainable for all.

All over the world, an alarming number of adolescent girls are
assaulted, beaten, raped, mutilated and even murdered. ;The threat of
violence at the hands of family members, partners, teachers and peers
grossly violates their rights, diminishes their power and suppresses
their potential.
This violence is exacerbated and reinforced by the multiple deprivations adolescent girls face, including unequal access to education, skills, information, sexual and reproductive health services, and
social and economic resources. Girls are subjected to discriminatory
social norms and harmful practices – such as female genital mutilation
-- that perpetuate a cycle of violence. A culture of impunity allows
violence against adolescent girls to continue unabated; Conflict and
humanitarian crises dramatically increase the risk of violence, abuse
and exploitation.
My UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign is engaging governments, international organizations, civil society
groups, the media and citizens everywhere to raise awareness and
increase political will and resources for preventing and ending
violence against women and girls. A parallel campaign – HeForShe –
emphasizes that gender equality is not just a women’s issue by
enrolling males to act against all forms of violence and discrimination
against women and girls. As we define the post-2015 development framework
and review progress achieved under the Beijing Declaration and
Platform for Action, ending gender violence and promoting the
empowerment of girls and women must be at the heart of our global
agenda.
To end the cycle of violence against adolescent girls we must go beyond
and take action to equip girls with knowledge, skills, resources and
power to determine their own path in life. We must provide them with
safe transport,
and access to sources of energy and water, quality health services and
supportive environments that will allow them to thrive.
On this International Day of the Girl Child,
I call on all governments to take action to end all forms of violence
against girls in all parts of the world. Together, we must create a
world where violence against women and girls is never tolerated and
girls are always empowered to reach their full potential.

Today on the International Day of the Girl Child, I join every person around the world who believes that adolescent girls should live free of violence and discrimination.

We are guided by the international human rights to which every human being is rightfully entitled.

Every girl, no matter where she is born, should have a chance to reach her potential.

Every girl deserves to be welcomed to this world with the same joy and celebration as a boy. Every girl has the right to life and dignity.

Every girl has the right to education, including comprehensive sexuality education, and to learn and be as smart as she can be.

Every girl has the right to be a girl, and not a child bride.

Every girl has the right to live free of female genital mutilation.

Every girl has the right to health, including sexual and reproductive health.

Yet these rights continue to be violated worldwide on a massive and systematic scale.

Today on the International Day of the Girl Child, and every day, we say no to violence against girls.

We say yes to education, empowerment and equality. Now is the time for action!

We must take action when nearly one quarter of adolescent girls have been victims of physical violence since the age of 15.

We must take action when one in three adolescent girls has suffered violence committed by her husband or her partner.

We must take action when some 70 million young women aged 20-24 in developing countries were married before the age of 18. Early, forced and child marriage deprives girls of their autonomy, their education and their health. It steals their hopes and dreams away from them before their very eyes.

We must take action when three million girls, the majority of whom are younger than 15 years of age, undergo female genital mutilation, FGM, each and every year. This can increase their vulnerability to HIV and to complications during pregnancy and childbirth, and in the worst cases result in maternal and newborn death.

UNFPA is taking action to protect the health and rights of adolescent girls.

Through comprehensive sexuality education; through sexual and reproductive health counselling, information and services; and through youth participation, UNFPA works to protect the human rights of adolescent girls. We also work with boys so they will become the first male generation to neither perpetrate nor tolerate violence against women and girls.

Through a UNFPA-UNICEF joint programme, more than 12,700 communities in Africa have abandoned FGM and an estimated three million girls will now grow up free of this harmful practice.

Development is not sustainable when adolescent girls live with the fear and the reality of violence.

Today on the International Day of the Girl Child, and every day, UNFPA will continue to work with governments, the United Nations system and civil society so that adolescent girls are empowered to claim their rights and are protected from violence.

We will not stop until the world upholds the inherent rights of every girl child.
If you change her life, you can change the world.

On this International Day of the Girl Child let us commit to creating a world where girls can live free of violence and achieve their full potential.
Violence against girls, in all its forms, is a grave human rights violation rooted in gender inequality. Up to one-third of adolescent girls report their first sexual experience as being forced.

At least 133 million girls and women have experienced female genital mutilation.
When an adolescent girl experiences violence, often perpetrated by those closest to her, she has limited choices and opportunities. Without redress, the effects of such violence will last throughout her lifetime and may extend to future generations.
Every day, 39,000 girls are married before they turn 18 and, if current trends continue, there will be 140 million child brides by 2020. Girls married young are more vulnerable to intimate partner violence and sexual abuse than those who marry later. They suffer complications during pregnancy and childbirth, with these complications being a leading cause of death in young women aged 15-19. This is a catastrophic loss of human potential.
Eradicating violence against the girl child is a critical area of concern of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a landmark international agreement reached almost 20 years ago.

The promise made to girls at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing must be delivered. Protecting girls from all forms of violence and promoting girls’ empowerment must be at the heart of the global development agenda.
It is in our hands to make this possible, through provision of adequate services and comprehensive prevention efforts.
By providing girls and women with access to education, by ensuring their sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as engaging men and boys in the promotion of gender equality, we can protect and empower girls.
By improving justice mechanisms and supportive services, we can crush impunity and mitigate the impact of violence on survivors.
Girls themselves are part of the solution. They are a powerhouse of talent, creativity and potential.

This year, UN Women is rolling out a global youth-led programme, “Voices against Violence,” to prevent violence against girls and young women. In partnership with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, and using non-formal education as a tool, the programme will reach some 800,000 young people aged 5 to 25, in 12 countries. In many more countries, we are partnering with young people to challenge gender stereotypes and norms that perpetuate violence.

With Together for Girls, a unique public-private partnership, UN Women is supporting data collection and country-driven efforts to address sexual violence against children, especially girls. In the Asia-Pacific region, a joint programme — “Partners for Prevention” — supported by UN Women, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Volunteers, is focusing on prevention of violence against women and girls through research, capacity development and communications for social change. As part of the Joint Programme on Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting with UNICEF and UNFPA, UN Women is also working to address harmful traditional practices that impact millions of girls worldwide.

The International Day of the Girl Child is an opportunity to step up collective action to break the cycle of violence against girls and women. Empowering girls today makes for a safer, healthier, more prosperous and sustainable tomorrow.

Events : This year, the theme is "Empowering adolescent girls: Ending the cycle
of violence". UN Women Executive Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will speak at an
event at UNICEF House co-sponsored by UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA and Plan
International, from 12.30-2 p.m. [Invitation]. Watch the livestream here.

Check out our special In Focus compilation on the Girl Child, one of the
12 critical areas of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

This year, the theme is "Empowering adolescent girls: Ending the cycle of violence". UN Women
Executive Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka will speak at an event at UNICEF House
co-sponsored by UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA and Plan International, from
12.30-2 p.m. [Invitation]. Watch the livestream here.
Check out our special In Focus compilation on the Girl Child, one of the 12 critical areas of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
- See more at: http://www.unwomen.org/en/news/in-focus/girl-child#sthash.XOMFm74z.dpuf

Thursday, 9 October 2014

World Sight Day 2014 is on 9 October 2014 (the second
Thursday of October). World Sight Day 2013 saw numerous organizations
putting together events of great verve and colour to draw attention to
avoidable blindness and rehabilitation. 2014 is the first year of the WHO Global Action Plan and IAPB encourages our members and partners to
continue with our rolling theme: Universal Eye Health

Check
out the free UN Calendar of Observances iPhone app.!It features
official UN observances and links to related videos and further
information. The app also illustrates how the UN makes a difference in
tackling global challenges.

It functions in Chinese, Spanish and English. Arabic, French and Russian versions will be available in early 2014.

UN Audio Library

UNIS Handbook for Journalists and 2011 Calendar

For all UNIS press releases and information on all UNIS eventsand press briefings, go to www.unis.unvienna.org

“Chemistry – Our life, our future”, IYC 2011

United Nations activities and programmes.

United Nations observances contribute to the achievement of the purposes of the UN Charter and promote awareness of and action on important political, social, cultural, humanitarian or human rights issues. They provide a useful means for the promotion of international and national action and stimulate interest in United Nations activities and programmes. For international years and decades the UN Secretary General takes action to establish the preparatory process, evaluation and follow-up procedures.

In 1950, the General Assembly approved the first international day — Human Rights Day — to be observed on 10 December. Resolution 423 (V) invited all states and international organizations to observe this day to celebrate the proclamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the General Assembly on 10 December 1948, and to exert increasing efforts in this field.

In 1978, the General Assembly by its resolution S-10/2 proclaimed the first international week — the week starting 24 October (the day of the founding of the UN) — as a week devoted to fostering the objectives of disarmament (Disarmament Week).

The first international year was proclaimed by the General Assembly in 1959. It was the World Refugee Year [Resolution 1285 (XIII)].

The first UN decade was the United Nations Development Decade designated by the General Assembly in 1961 [Resolution 1710 (XVI)].

1971–1980 : Second United Nations Development Decade - A/RES/2626 (XXV)

1970s : Disarmament Decade - A/RES/2602 E (XXIV)

1960–1970 : United Nations Development Decade - A/RES/1710 (XVI)

31 January

World Leprosy Day is celebrated on the last Sunday in January in over 100 countries.

02 February

The international theme 2011 is "wetlands and forests - forests for water and wetlands"

04 February

WHO estimates that 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015 without intervention.

06 February

WHO is committed to the elimination of female genital mutilation within a generation and is focusing on advocacy, research and guidance for health professionals and health systems.

20 February

Observance of World Day of Social Justice should support efforts of the international community in poverty eradication, the promotion of full employment and decent work, gender equity and access to social well-being and justice for all.

21 February

2011 International Mother Language Day: The information and communication technologies for the safeguarding and promotion of languages and linguistic diversity

08 March

International Women Day 2011: Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women

21 March

Elimination of Racial Discrimination

21 March in Australia

Hamony Day - Everyone Belongs

22 March

Theme 2011 - Water for Cities : Responding to the Urban Challenge

24 March

04 April

Mine Awareness and assistance in Mine Action

07 April

Theme 2011 : Antimicrobial resistance and its global spread

20 April

22 April

2011 theme : Pledge your Act today!

23 April

25 April

26 April

03 May

09 May

22 May

29 May

LAW.ORDER.PEACE.

31 May

"The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control" as the theme 2011

05 June

08 June

14 June

" More Blood, More Life "

17 June

20 JUNE

25 June

26 June

11 July

28 July

The first official WHO World Hepatitis Day is marked to increase the awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases that it causes.

1 to 7 August

Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need.

19 August

To pay respect to those who have died or been injured in the course of their humanitarian work.

24 August

"Water for Life "

30 August

08 September

10 September

World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September promotes worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides.

26 September

28 September

World Rabies Day highlights the impact of human and animal rabies and promotes how to prevent and stop the disease by combating it in animals.

29 September

Cardiovascular diseases are the world’s largest killers, claiming 17.1 million lives a year.

26 to 30 September

04 October

05 October

10 October

13 October

"Vision 2020: The Right to Sight",

16 October

20 October

27 October

06 November

10 November

11 November

14 November

WHO estimates that more than 220 million people worldwide have diabetes. This number is likely to more than double by 2030 without intervention.

16 November

World COPD Day is a global effort to expand understanding of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and advocate for better care for patients.

20 November

Road traffic crashes kill nearly 1.3 million people every year and injure or disable as many as 50 million more.

21 November

25 November

Violence against women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions.

01 December

World AIDS Day on 1 December draws together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic.

United Nations International Days

27 January International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust A/RES/60/7

February

4 February World Cancer Day [WHO] 20 February World Day of Social Justice 21 February International Mother Language Day [UNESCO]

March

8 March International Women's Day21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 21 March World Poetry Day [UNESCO] 21 March International Day of Nowruz23 March World Meteorological Day [WMO] 24 March World Tuberculosis Day [WHO] 24 March International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims 25 March International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade25 March International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members —

April

2 April World Autism Awareness Day 4 April International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 7 April Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide7 April World Health Day [WHO] 12 April International Day of Human Space Flight 22 April International Mother Earth Day 23 April World Book and Copyright Day [UNESCO]25 April World Malaria Day [WHO] 26 April World Intellectual Property Day [WIPO] 28 April World Day for Safety and Health at Work [ILO] 29 April Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare

May

Day of Vesak 3 May World Press Freedom Day 8–9 May Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War 14–15 May World Migratory Bird Day [UNEP] 15 May International Day of Families 17 May World Telecommunication and Information Society Day [ITU] 21 May World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 22 May International Day for Biological Diversity 29 May International Day of UN Peacekeepers31 May World No-Tobacco Day [WHO]

June

4 June International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression 5 June World Environment Day [UNEP]8 June World Oceans Day 12 June World Day Against Child Labour [ILO] 14 June World Blood Donor Day [WHO] 17 June World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought20 June World Refugee Day 23 June United Nations Public Service Day 23 June International Widow’s Day25 June Day of the Seafarer [IMO] 26 June International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 26 June United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

July

2 July International Day of Cooperatives 11 July World Population Day UNDP decision 89/4618 July Nelson Mandela International Day 28 July World Hepatitis Day —30 July International Day of Friendship

August

9 August International Day of the World's Indigenous People12 August International Youth Day 19 August World Humanitarian Day 23 August International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition [UNESCO]29 August International Day against Nuclear Tests 30 August International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances

September

8 September International Literacy Day [UNESCO]10 September World Suicide Prevention Day [WHO] 15 September International Day of Democracy 16 September International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 21 September International Day of Peace 25 September World Heart Day [WHO] 27 September World Tourism Day [UNWTO] 28 September World Rabies Day [WHO] 29 September World Maritime Day [IMO]

October

1 October International Day of Older Persons 2 October International Day of Non-Violence 3 October World Habitat Day 5 October World Teachers’ Day [UNESCO]9 October World Post Day [UPU] 10 October World Mental Health Day [WHO] 13 October International Day for Disaster Reduction 13 October World Sight Day [WHO] 15 October International Day of Rural Women 16 October World Food Day [FAO] 17 October International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 24 October United Nations Day24 October World Development Information Day 27 October World Day for Audiovisual Heritage [UNESCO]

November

6 November International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict 10 November World Science Day for Peace and Development [UNESCO] 14 November World Diabetes Day [WHO]16 November International Day for Tolerance 17 November World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day [WHO] 17 November World Philosophy Day [UNESCO] 20 November Universal Children’s Day 20 November Africa Industrialization Day 20 November World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims21 November World Television Day25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 29 November International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

December

1 December World AIDS Day2 December International Day for the Abolition of Slavery3 December International Day of Persons with Disabilities5 December International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development 7 December International Civil Aviation Day [ICAO] 9 December International Anti-Corruption Day 10 December Human Rights Day11 December International Mountain Day 18 December International Migrants Day 19 December United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation 20 December International Human Solidarity Day

About the United Nations

This site provides a list of the 192 Member States of the UN, data on each country, how much each country pays to the UN (see Contribution to the UN Budget), and various sources of country information (see Related Links > Information Sources)

World Water Day - 22/03/2010

Water is the source of life and the link that binds all living beings on this planet. It is connected directly to all our United Nations goals: improved maternal and child health and life expectancy, women’s empowerment, food security, sustainable development and climate change adaptation and mitigation. Recognition of these links led to the declaration of 2005-2015 as the International Decade for Action “Water for Life”.

World Tuberculosis Day - 24/03/2010

Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade - 25/03/2010

Slavery is abhorrent. It is explicitly prohibited by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the United Nations has reaffirmed this principle many times, including in the Durban Declaration adopted at the 2001 World Conference Against Racism.

But slavery and slavery-like practices continue in many parts of the world. Slavery is mutating and re-emerging in modern forms, including debt bondage, the sale of children, and the trafficking of women and girls for sex. Its roots lie in ignorance, intolerance and greed.

We must create a climate in which such abuse and cruelty are inconceivable. One way is by remembering the past and honouring the victims of the transatlantic slave trade. By reminding ourselves of past injustices, we help to ensure that such systematic abuse of human rights can never be repeated.

We see the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade in all the countries it affected. If we are wise, we will use this legacy for good. We will recognize that it is clear evidence of what can happen, if intolerance, racism and greed are allowed to triumph.

We should also take heart from those who, with great courage, succeeded in ending this institutionalized abuse. Their bravery ensured the eventual triumph of the values the United Nations represents: tolerance, justice, and respect for the dignity and worth of all human beings.

Today, we salute all the victims of slavery and we commit ourselves to ensuring that this practice, in all its forms, is eradicated.

World Book and Copyright Day - 23/04/2010

23 April is a symbolic date for world literature for on this date in 1616, Cervantes, Shakespeare and Inca Garcilaso de la Vega all died. It is also the date of birth or death of other prominent authors such as Maurice Druon, Haldor K.Laxness, Vladimir Nabokov, Josep Pla and Manuel Mejía Vallejo.

It was a natural choice for UNESCO's General Conference, held in Paris in 1995, to pay a world-wide tribute to books and authors on this date, encouraging everyone, and in particular young people, to discover the pleasure of reading and gain a renewed respect for the irreplaceable contributions of those who have furthered the social and cultural progress of humanity. In this respect, UNESCO created both the World Book and Copyright Day and the UNESCO Prize for Children's and Young People's Literature in the Service of Tolerance.

World Press Freedom Day - 3/05/2010

World Press Freedom Day was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December, 1993, as an outgrowth of the Seminar on Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press. This Seminar took place in Windhoek, Namibia, in 1991 and led to the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting Independent and Pluralistic Media (www.misanet.org/charters/windhoek.html). The Windhoek Declaration called for the establishment, maintenance and fostering of an independent, pluralistic and free press and emphasized the importance of a free press to the development and maintenance of democracy in a nation, and for economic development. World Press Freedom Day is celebrated annually on May 3rd, the date on which the Windhoek Declaration was adopted.

International Day of Families - 15/05/2010

The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 47/237 of 20 September 1993, proclaimed that 15 May of every year shall be observed as the International Day of Families. This annual observance reflects the importance which the international community attaches to families as basic units of society as well as its concern regarding their situation around the world. The International Day of Families provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families as well as to promote appropriate action. The Day can become a powerful mobilizing factor on behalf of families in all countries, which avail themselves of this opportunity and demonstrate support of family issues appropriate to each society. (TEST2)

World No Tobacco Day - 31/05/2010

THE SECRETARY-GENERAL's MESSAGE ON WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY31 May 2009

Every year, some 5.4 million people die from illnesses caused by tobacco consumption – 80 per cent of them in low- and middle-income countries. Up to half of all smokers die from a tobacco-related disease, and science has shown that second-hand smoke harms everyone who is exposed to it. Left unchecked, tobacco-related deaths will rise to more than 8 million by 2030.

Lung cancer, heart disease and other tobacco-related illnesses are part of a broader epidemic of non-communicable diseases, which include strokes, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. These diseases have become the world’s leading cause of mortality. Sixty per cent of all deaths globally are caused by them, with women being the hardest hit.

That we continue to allow such diseases to be caused by tobacco consumption is a global tragedy. It also comes at vast expense. Economies are harmed by the costs of treating of tobacco-caused diseases and by decreased productivity due to illness and premature death, while families whose members die or become ill due to tobacco use endure an unnecessary financial burden.

On this World No Tobacco Day, I urge governments everywhere to address this needless threat to public health.

World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. The member states of the World Health Organization created World No Tobacco Day in 1987. It draws global attention to the tobacco epidemic and to the preventable death and disease it causes. It aims to reduce the 3.5 million yearly deaths from tobacco related health problems.

World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims - 21/11/2010

This Observance occurs on the third Sunday of November, annually

On 26 October 2005, the General Assembly invited Member States and the international community to recognize the third Sunday in November of every year as the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims as acknowledgement for victims of road traffic crashes and their families ( resolution 60/5 ).

World Television Day - 21/11/2010

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day (through resolution 51/205 of 17 December 1996). This was done in recognition of the increasing impact television has on decision-making by alerting world attention to conflicts and threats to peace and security and its potential role in sharpening the focus on other major issues, including economic and social issues.

On 21 and 22 November 1996 the United Nations held the first World Television Forum, where leading media figures met under the auspices of the United Nations to discuss the growing significance of television in today's changing world and to consider how they might enhance their mutual cooperation. That is why the General Assembly decided to proclaim 21 November as World Television Day - to commemorate the date on which the first World Television Forum was held.

The celebration highlights how communications have become one of today's central international issues, not only for their relevance to the world economy, but also for their implications for social and cultural development. The celebration also underlines the ever-increasing demands faced by the United Nations to address the major issues facing humankind - and that television - as one of today's most powerful communications media, could play a role in presenting these issues to the world.

International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women - 25/11/2010

By resolution 54/134 of 17 December 1999, the General Assembly designated 25 November as theInternational Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, andinvited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organizeactivities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on thatday. Women's activists have marked 25 November as a day againstviolence since 1981. This date came from the brutal assassination in1960, of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in theDominican Republic, on orders of Dominican ruler Rafael Trujillo(1930-1961).

International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People - 29/11/2010

The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is observed by the United Nations on or around 29 November each year, in accordance with General Assembly mandates contained in resolutions 32/40 B of 2 December 1977 , 34/65 D of 12 December 1979 , and subsequent resolutions adopted under agenda item “Question of Palestine.”

The date of 29 November was chosen because of its meaning and significance to the Palestinian people. On that day in 1947, the General Assembly adopted resolution 181 (II) ,which came to be known as the Partition Resolution. That resolution provided for the establishment in Palestine of a “Jewish State” and an“Arab State”, with Jerusalem as a corpus separatum under a special international regime. Of the two States to be created under this resolution, only one, Israel, has so far come into being.

The Palestinian people, who now number more than eight million,live primarily in the Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since1967, including East Jerusalem; in Israel; in neighbouring Arab States;and in refugee camps in the region.

World AIDS Day - 1/12/2010

The General Assembly, in 1988, stated its deep concern about the pandemic proportions of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Noting that the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared 1 December 1988 World AIDS Day, the Assembly stressed the importance of observing that occasion (resolution 43/15). Today, some 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS.

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery - 2/12/2010

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, recalls the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and the Exploitation of Others (resolution 317 (IV) of 2 December 1949).

International Day of Persons with Disabilities - 3/12/2010

On 18 December 2007, the Assembly decided to rename the International Day of Disabled Persons, observed every year on 3 December, as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (resolution 62/127). It also called upon States that had no yet done so to consider signing and ratifying the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol as a matter of priority. The Convention was adopted on 13 December 2006.

The Assembly proclaimed the Day in 1992, at the conclusion of the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons (1983-1992), by its resolution 47/3. The Decade had been a period of raising awareness and enacting measures to improve the situation of persons with disabilities and provide them with equal opportunities. Subsequently, the Assembly appealed to Member States to highlight the observance of the Day in order to further integrate people with disabilities into the society (resolution 47/88).

International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development - 5/12/2010

The General Assembly has invited Governments to observe the International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development on 5 December each year ( resolution 40/212 of 17 December 1985). It urged them to heighten awareness of the contribution made by volunteer service, thereby stimulating people in all walks of life to offer their services as volunteers, both at home and abroad. In 2001, the International Year of Volunteers, the Assembly adopted a set of recommendations on ways that Governments and the United Nations system could support volunteering and asked that they be widely disseminated (resolution 56/38 of 5 December 2001).

International Civil Aviation Day - 7/12/2010

In 1996, the General Assembly proclaimed 7 December as International Civil Aviation Day, and urged Governments, as well as national, regional, international and intergovernmental organizations, to take steps to observe it (resolution 51/33 of 6 December). the Day had been declared in 1992 by the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a United Nations specialized agency, to highlight and advance the benefits of international civil aviation. Observation of the Day started on 7 December 1994 - the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, which established ICAO.

International Anti-Corruption Day - 9/12/2010

International Anti-Corruption Day

On 31 October 2003, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption and requested that the Secretary-General designate the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as secretariat for the Convention's Conference of States parties ( resolution 58/4 ). The Assembly also designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the Convention in combating and preventing it. The Convention entered into force in December 2005.

Human Rights Day - 10/12/2010

All States and interested organizations were invited by the General Assembly in 1950 to observe 10 December as Human rights Day ( Resolution 423 (V) ). The Day marks the anniversary of the Assembly's adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 and is the most important commemorative day of the human rights calendar.

International Mountain Day - 11/12/2010

The UN General Assembly designated 11 December, from 2003 onwards, as 'International Mountain Day' ( Resolution 57/245 ). This decision results from the success of the UN International Year of Mountains in 2002, which increased global awareness of the importance of mountains, stimulated the establishment of national committees in 78 countries and strengthened alliances through promoting the creation of the International Partnership for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions, known as the 'Mountain Partnership (WSSD, Johannesburg, 2 September 2002). FAO was the designated lead coordinating agency for International Year of Mountains and is mandated to lead observance of International Mountain Day.

International Migrants Day - 18/12/2010

As recommended by the UN's Economic and Social Council (decision 2000/288 of 28 july 2000), the General Assembly has proclaimed 18 December International Migrants Day ( resolution 55/93 of 4 December 2000). On that day in 1990, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families was adopted (resolution 45/158). The Assembly has stressed the need to make further efforts to ensure respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all migrants. It is estimated that one in every 35 persons in the world is a migrant, living and working in a country other than his or her own. All countries have migrants among their population.

United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation - 19/12/2010

On 23 December 2004, the General Assembly declared 19 December of each year as the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation ( resolution 58/220 ). This marks the date, in 1978, when the General Assembly endorsed the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (resolution 33/134).

International Human Solidarity Day - 20/12/2010

In connection with its observance of the first United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (1997-2006), the General assembly, on 22 December 2005, decided to proclaim 20 December of each year as International Human Solidarity Day ( resolution 60/209 ). In taking that action, it recalled that the Millennium Declaration identified solidarity as one of the fundamental and universal values that should underlie relations between peoples in the twenty-first century.

Holocaust Remembrance Day - 27/01/2011

Rejecting any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, either in full or in part, the General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution (A/RES/60/7) condemning "without reserve" all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief, whenever they occur.

It decided that the United Nations would designate 27 January -– the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp -- as an annual International Day of Commemoration to honour the victims of the Holocaust, and urged Member States to develop educational programmes to instil the memory of the tragedy in future generations to prevent genocide from occurring again, and requested the United Nations Secretary-General to establish an outreach programme on the "Holocaust and the United Nations," as well as measures to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.

The Holocaust was a turning point in history, which prompted the world to say "never again." The significance of resolution A/RES/60/7 is that it calls for a remembrance of past crimes with an eye towards preventing them in the future.

Holocaust Remembrance Day - 27/01/2011

Rejecting any denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, either in full or in part, the General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution (A/RES/60/7) condemning "without reserve" all manifestations of religious intolerance, incitement, harassment or violence against persons or communities based on ethnic origin or religious belief, whenever they occur.

It decided that the United Nations would designate 27 January -– the anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp -- as an annual International Day of Commemoration to honour the victims of the Holocaust, and urged Member States to develop educational programmes to instil the memory of the tragedy in future generations to prevent genocide from occurring again, and requested the United Nations Secretary-General to establish an outreach programme on the "Holocaust and the United Nations," as well as measures to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education, in order to help prevent future acts of genocide.

The Holocaust was a turning point in history, which prompted the world to say "never again." The significance of resolution A/RES/60/7 is that it calls for a remembrance of past crimes with an eye towards preventing them in the future.

World Day for Social Justice - 20/02/2011

At its sixty-second session, in November 2007, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed 20 February as World Day of Social Justice. The day is to be observed for the first time in 2009.

Member states were invited to devote this special day to the promotion of concrete national activities in accordance with the objectives and goals of the World Summit for Social Development and the twenty-fourth session of the General Assembly, entitled “World Summit for Social Development and beyond: achieving social development for all in a globalizing world”.

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination - 21/03/2011

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on 21 March. On that day, in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against the apartheid "pass laws". Proclaiming the Day in 1966, the General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination (resolution 2142 (XXI)).

World Water Day - 22/03/2011

World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. This year's theme for World Water Day is "Water for Cities: Responding to the Urban Challenge.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.

For more information please visit the official website or UNIC Canberra World Water Day page.

World Meteorological Day - 23/03/2011

Each year, on 23 March, the World Meteorological Organization, its 189 Members and the worldwide meteorological community celebrate World Meteorological Day around a chosen theme. This day commemorates the entry into force, on that date in 1950, of the WMO Convention creating the Organization. Subsequently, in 1951, WMO was designated a specialized agency of the United Nations System.

The Right to the Truth of Victims of Gross Human Rights Violations - 24/03/2011

On 21 December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 24 March as the International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims.

The purpose of the Day is to:

• Honour the memory of victims of gross and systematic human rights violations and promote the importance of the right to truth and justice;

• Pay tribute to those who have devoted their lives to, and lost their lives in, the struggle to promote and protect human rights for all;

• Recognize, in particular, the important work and values of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, of El Salvador, who was assasinated on 24 March 1980, after denouncing violations of the human rights of the most vulnerable populations and defending the principles of protecting lives, promoting human dignity and opposition to all forms of violence.

The UN General Assembly, in its resolution, invites all Member States, international organizations and civil society organizations and individuals, to observe the International Day in an appropriate manner.

Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade - 25/03/2011

The event is held annually pursuant to General Assembly resolution A/RES/62/122 of 17 December 2007, which called, inter alia, for 25 March to be designated as International Day of Remembrance of Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

The resolution requested the Secretary-General, in collaboration with UNESCO, to establish an educational outreach programme to mobilize educational institutions, civil society and other organizations to inculcate in future generations the “causes, consequences and lessons of the transatlantic slave trade, and to communicate the dangers of racism and prejudice”.

World Autism Awareness Day - 02/04/2011

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that manifests itself during the first three years of life. The rate of autism in all regions of the world is high and it has a tremendous impact on children, their families, communities and societies.

Throughout its history, the United Nations family has promoted the rights and well-being of the disabled, including children with developmental disabilities. In 2008, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities entered into force, reaffirming the fundamental principle of universal human rights for all.

The United Nations General Assembly unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day (A/RES/62/139) to highlight the need to help improve the lives of children and adults who suffer from the disorder so they can lead full and meaningful lives.

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action - 04/04/2011

On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared that 4 April of each year shall be officially proclaimed and observed as the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (A/RES/60/97).

It called for continued efforts by States, with the assistance of the United Nations and relevant organizations, to foster the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the civilian population, or an impediment to social and economic development at the national and local levels.

Commemoration of the Rwanda genocide - 07/04/2011

On 7 April every year, the UN commemorates the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, where more than 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus are estimated to have been killed within a period of 100 days.

Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare - 29/04/2011

The Conference of the States Parties at its Tenth Session (paragraph 23.3 of C-10/5, dated 11 November 2005) decided that a memorial Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare would be observed on 29 April each year––the date in 1997 on which the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force.

This commemoration will provide an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of chemical warfare, as well as to reaffirm the commitment of theOrganization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to the elimination of the threat of chemical weapons, thereby promoting the goals of peace, security, and multilateralism.

World Press Freedom Day - 03/05/2011

World Press Freedom Day is celebrated every year on 3 May worldwide. It is an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty. "21st Century Media: New Frontiers, New Barriers" is the theme of World Press Freedom Day 2011.

By decision 48/432 of 20 December 1993, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 3 May as World Press Freedom Day. Since then, it has been celebrated each year on 3 May, the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek. The document calls for free, independent, pluralistic media worldwide characterizing free press as essential to democracy and a fundamental human right.

The Declaration of Windhoek is a statement of free press principles as put together by newspaper journalists in Africa during a UNESCO seminar on “Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press” in Windhoek, Namibia, from 29 April to 3 May 1991.

International Day of Families - 15/05/2011

The International Day of Families is observed on the 15th of May every year. The Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly resolution in 1993 (A/RES/47/237) and reflects the importance the international community attaches to families. The International Day provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families.

In its resolution, the General Assembly also noted that the family-related provisions of the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits of the 1990s and their follow-up processes continue to provide policy guidance on ways to strengthen family-centred components of policies and programmes as part of an integrated comprehensive approach to development.

The International Day of Families has inspired a series of awareness-raising events, including national family days. In many countries, that day provides an opportunity to highlight different areas of interest and importance to families. Activities include workshops and conferences, radio and television programmes, newspaper articles and cultural programmes highlighting relevant themes.

The 2011's commemoration of the International Day of Families focuses on the "Confronting Family Poverty and Social Exclusion."

World No Tobacco Day - 31/05/2011

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated around the world every year on May 31. This yearly celebration informs the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.

1961- International Health and Medical Research Year

1959/60 - World Refugee Year

World Information Society Day -17/05/2010

On 27 March 2006, the General Assembly adopted Resolution A/RES/60/252 proclaiming 17 May as annual World Information Society Day. This Day will help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information communications technologies (ICTs) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide.

International Day Of United Nations Peacekeepers - 29/05/2010

By resolution 57/129 of 11 December 2002, the General Assembly designated 29 May as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression - 4/06/2010

On 19 August 1982, at its emergency special session on the question of Palestine, the General Assembly decided to commemorate 4 June of each year as the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression (resolution ES-7/8).

World Environment Day - 5/06/2010

World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

World Oceans Day - 8/06/2010

In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly decided that, as from 2009, 8 June would be designated by the United Nations as “World Oceans Day” (resolution 63/111, paragraph 171). Many countries have celebrated World Oceans Day following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which was held in Rio de Janerio in 1992.

The oceans are essential to food security and the health and survival of all life, power our climate and are a critical part of the biosphere. The official designation of World Oceans Day is an opportunity to raise global awareness of the current challenges faced by the international community in connection with the oceans.

The theme of the inaugural observance of the World Oceans Day by the United Nations in 2009 is “Our Oceans, Our Responsibility”. The Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, in cooperation with the Department of Public Information, is organizing a number of events and activities at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 8 June 2009. http://www.un.org/Depts/los/reference_files/worldoceansday.htm

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought - 17/06/2010

The World Day to Combat Desertification, celebrated each year on June 17, is part of an international campaign by the United Nations to tackle global environmental deterioration, in particular the degradation of drylands. The day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.

The General Assembly therefore decided that, from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day.

This year the UN refugee agency, in its 60th year, will mark World Refugee Day with a rich and varied programme of events in locations worldwide and the launch of a new global awareness campaign. UNHCR will start rolling out the multimedia "One" campaign next week. Over the next six months it will increase awareness about the forcibly displaced and stateless by telling their powerful personal stories. The campaign will carry the message that "One Refugee Without Hope is too Many." Every day, millions of refugees face murder, rape and terror. We believe even 1 is too many.

Where to find UNPAN?

The UNPAN system is centred at the United Nations Headquarters in New York and draws upon existing regional/subregional institutions devoted to public administration and finance in the context of social and economic development. So far, it is comprised of the following online regional centres (ORCs): eight in Africa and three in the Arab States, four in Asia and the Pacific, four in Latin America and the Caribbean, four in Europe, and six in North America.

International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking - 26/06/2010

By resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987, the General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse. This resolution recommended further action with regard to the report and conclusions of the 1987 International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

International Day of the World's Indigenous People - 9/08/2010

By resolution 49/214 of 23 December 1994, the General Assembly decided to celebrate the International Day of the World's Indigenous People on 9 August every year during the International Decade of the World's Indigenous People. In 2004 the Assembly proclaimed a Second International Decade by resolution 59/174. The goal of this Decade is to further strengthen international cooperation for the solution of problems faced by indigenous people in such areas as culture, education, health, human rights, the environment, and social and economic development.

International Youth Day - 12/08/2010

The General Assembly on 17 December 1999 in its resolution 54/120, endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth (Lisbon, 8-12 August 1998) that 12 August be declared International Youth Day. The Assembly recommended that public information activities be organized to support the Day as a way to promote better awareness of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond, adopted by the General Assembly in 1995 (resolution 50/81).

World Humanitarian Day - 19/08/2010

In December 2008, the General Assembly voted to observe World Humanitarian Day each year on 19 August, dedicated to increasing public understanding of humanitarian assistance activities worldwide and to honour humanitarian workers who have lost their lives or been injured in the course of their work.

The date coincides with the anniversary of the terrorist attack on the United Nations Office in Iraq in 2003, in which 22 people died. Among them was Sergio Vieira de Mello, at that time the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to Iraq.

The General Assembly invites all countries, the UN system and international and non-governmental organizations to observe the day annually in an appropriate manner.

For 2009, the Day has three objectives:• To draw attention to humanitarian needs worldwide;• To acknowledge the ongoing work of humanitarian staff around the globe;• To honour those who have lost their lives in humanitarian service.

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition - 23/08/2010

The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, 2 December, recalls the date of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others [Resolution 317 (IV) of 2 December 1949]. The International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition is celebrated every 23rd of August.

World Space Week - 4/09/2010

By resolution 54/68 of 6 December 1999, the General Assembly proclaimed World Space Week, to be observed between 4 and 10 October, to celebrate the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition. The dates recall the launch, on 4 October 1957, of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik I, and the entry into force, on 10 October 1967, of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space.

International Day of Democracy - 15/09/2010

On 8 November 2007, by Resolution A/Res/62/7, the General Assembly proclaimed 15 September as the International Day of Democracy, inviting Member States, the United Nations system and other regional, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to commemorate the Day. The International Day of Democracy provides an opportunity to review the state of democracy in the world. Democracy is as much a process as a goal and only with the full participation of and support by the international community, the national governing bodies, civil society and individuals, can the ideal of democracy be made into a reality to be enjoyed by everyone, everywhere.

International Day For the Preservation of the Ozone Layer - 16/09/2010

On 19 December 1994, by A/RES/49/114, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 16 September the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, commemorating the date, in 1987, on which the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was signed. States are invited to devote the Day each year to promote, at the national level, activities in accordance with the objectives of the Montreal Protocol and its amendments.

International Day of Peace - 21/09/2010

The International Day of Peace was first established in 1981 by resolution 36/67 of the United Nations General Assembly to coincide with its opening session every September. In 2001 resolution 55/282 was strengthened to fix the date annually on 21 September and for it to be a day of nonviolence and cease-fire. The resolution was adopted unanimously by the Member States of the General Assembly.

World Maritime Day - 24/09/2010

Every year IMO celebrates World Maritime Day. The exact date is left to individual Governments but is usually celebrated during the last week in September. The day is used to focus attention on the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment and to emphasize a particular aspect of IMO's work.

64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly - 28/09/2010

The General Assembly of the United Nations opened its sixty-fourth session on 15 September at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The annual general debate, which traditionally features statements by Heads of State and Government as well as Ministers, began on Wednesday, 23 September 2009, and concludes on 30 September 2009.

Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 192 Members of the United Nations, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter. It also plays a significant role in the process of standard-setting and the codification of international law. The Assembly meets in regular session intensively from September to December each year, and thereafter as required.

Secretary-General Message International Year of Older Persons - 1/10/2010

On 14 December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly (by resolution 45/106) designated 1 October the International Day of Older Persons.

This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing - which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing - and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly.

In 1991, the General Assembly (by resolution 46/91) adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons.

In 2002, the Second World Assembly on Ageing adopted the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, to respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st century and to promote the development of a society for all ages.

The theme of the year 2010's commemoration is "Older persons and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)". This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the UN International Day of Older Persons.

International Day of Non-Violence - 2/10/2010

Reaffirming the universal relevance of the principle of non-violence, and desiring to secure a culture of peace, tolerance, understanding and non-violence, the General Assembly has decided to observe 2 October as the International Day of Non-Violence. By its resolution 61/271 of 15 June 2007, the Assembly invited all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, regional and non-governmental organizations and individuals to commemorate the Day in an appropriate manner and to disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness.

The resolution originated from a Declaration adopted at the “International Conference on Peace, Non-Violence and Empowerment -- Gandhian Philosophy in the 21st Century”. Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2 October 1869.

World Habitat Day - 5/10/2010

By Resolution A/RES/40/202 the United Nations has designated the first Monday in October every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of human settlements and the basic right to adequate shelter for all. It is also intended to remind the world of its collective responsibility for the future of the human habitat.

World Teachers Day - 5/10/2010

World Teachers' Day was inaugurated by UNESCO in 1994 to focus attention on the extraordinary contributions and achievements of teachers. The Day is celebrated internationally on October 5, the day in 1966 on which a joint UNESCO/ILO conference adopted a recommendation on the Status of Teachers.

World Post Day - 9/10/2010

World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October, the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern. It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969. Since then, countries across the world participate annually in the celebrations. The Posts in many countries use the event to introduce or promote new postal products and services.

World Mental Health Day - 10/10/2010

World Mental Health Day is celebrated on 10 October each year. It is an internationally recognised day to promote mental health and wellbeing around the world.

International Day For Natural Disaster Reduction - 14/10/2010

By resolution 44/236 (22 December 1989), the General Assembly designated the second Wednesday of October International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction. The International Day was to be observed annually during the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, 1990-1999. In 2001, the General Assembly decided to maintain the observance of the International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction on the second Wednesday of October (resolution 56/195 of 21 December), as a vehicle to promote a global culture of natural disaster reduction, including disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness.

International Day of Rural Women - 15/10/2010

The General Assembly has declared that 15 October of each year shall be officially proclaimed and observed as the International Day of Rural Women. By its resolution 62/136 of 18 December 2007, the Assembly urged Member States, in collaboration with the organizations of the United Nations and civil society, to undertake measures to improve the situation of rural women, including indigenous women, in their national, regional and global development strategies.

These measures include: creating an enabling environment to improve the situation of rural women; pursuing their political and socio-economic empowerment; supporting their full and equal participation in decision-making at all levels; integrating a gender perspective in the design, implementation, follow-up and evaluation of development policies and programmes; addressing their specific health needs; ensuring the rights of older women in rural areas to basic social services; mobilizing resources for increasing women’s access to existing savings and credit schemes; and integrating increased employment opportunities for rural women in all international and national development and poverty eradication strategies.

World Food Day - 16/10/2010

The aim of World Food Day, proclaimed in 1979 by the Conference of the FAO of the United Nations, is to heighten public awareness of the world food problem and strengthen solidarity in the struggle against hunger, malnutrition and poverty. The Day marks the date of the founding of the FAO in 1945. In 1980, the General Assembly endorsed observance of the Day in consideration of the fact that “food is a requisite for human survival and well-being and a fundamental human necessity” (resolution 35/70 of 5 December).

International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - 17/10/2010

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty has been observed every year since 1993, when the General Assembly, by resolution 47/196, designated this day to promote awareness of the need to eradicate poverty and destitution in all countries, particularly in developing countries - a need that has become a development priority.

24-30 Oct Disarmament Week

The annual observance of Disarmament Week, which begins on the anniversary of the founding of the Untied Nations, was called for in the Final Document of the General Assembly 1978 special session on disarmament (resolution S-10/2). States were invited to highlight the danger of the arms race, propagate the need for its cessation and increase public understanding of the urgent tasks of disarmament.

In 1995, the Assembly invited Governments, as well as non-governmental organizations, to continue taking an active part in Disarmament Week (resolution 50/72 B of 12 December). It invited the Secretary-General to continue using the United Nations information entities as widely as possible to promote a better understanding among the public of disarmament problems and the aims of the Week.

World Development Information Day - 24/10/2010

The United Nations General Assembly instituted World Development Information Day at its twenty-seventh session in December 1972 (A/Res/3038 XXVII) with the object of drawing the attention of world public opinion each year to development problems and the necessity of strengthening international co-operation to solve them. The General Assembly also decided that World Development Information Day should coincide, in principle, with United Nations Day to stress the central role of development in the work of the United Nations.

World Diabetes Day - 14/11/2010

Welcoming the fact that the International Diabetes Federation has been observing World Diabetes Day globally since 1991, with co-sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO), the General Assembly, on 20 December 2006, designated 14 November, the current World Diabetes Day, as a United Nations Day, to be observed every year beginning in 2007 ( resolution 61/225 ).

Recognizing that diabetes is a chronic, debilitating and costly disease which poses serious challenges to development, the Assembly encouraged Member States to develop national policies for its prevention, treatment and care in line with the sustainable development of their health-care systems, taking account of internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.

The Assembly also invited all Member States, relevant organizations of the United Nations system and other international organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and the private sector, to observe World Diabetes Day in an appropriate manner, including through education and the mass media.

United Nations Day - 24/10/2010

The anniversary of the entry into force of the United Nations Charter -- 24 October 1945 -- has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948. It has traditionally been marked throughout the world by meetings, discussions and exhibits on the achievements and goals of the Organization. In 1971, the General Assembly recommended that Member States observe it as a public holiday (resolution 2782 (XXVI)).

Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict - 6/11/2010

On 5 November 2001, the General Assembly declared 6 November of each year as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict ( resolution 56/4 ). In taking this action, it considered that damage to the environment in times of armed conflict impairs ecosystems and natural resources long after the period of conflict, often extending beyond the limits of national territories and the present generation.

International Day for Tolerance - 16/11/2010

In 1996, the General Assembly invited Member States to observe the International Day for Tolerance on 16 November, with activities directed towards both educational establishments and the wider public ( resolution 51/95 of 12 December). This action came in the wake of the United Nations Year for Tolerance, 1995, proclaimed by the Assembly in 1993 (resolution 48/126). The Year had been declared on the initiative of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); on 16 November 1995, the UNESCO member States had adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and Follow-up Plan of Action for the Year.

World Philosophy Day - 18/11/2010

Celebrated at UNESCO’s initiative every third Thursday of November since 2002, World Philosophy Day will take place this year on 18 November 2010.

World Philosophy Day was introduced in 2002 by UNESCO to honour philosophical reflection in the entire world by opening up free and accessible spaces. Its objective is to encourage the peoples of the world to share their philosophical heritage and to open their minds to new ideas, as well as to inspire a public debate between intellectuals and civil society on the challenges confronting our society.

Universal Children's Day - 20/11/2010

The General Assembly recommended in 1954 (resolution 836 (IX)) that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children and of activity promoting the welfare of the world's children. It suggested to Governments that the Day be observed on the date which each considers appropriate. The date of 20 November marks the day in which the Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rigths of the Child, in 1959, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, in 1989.

In Australia, Universal Children's Day is celebrated every year on the 4th Wednesday in October.

Africa Industrialization Day - 20/11/2010

Within the framework of the Second Industrialization Development Decade for Africa (1991-2000), the General Assembly proclaimed 20 November as Africa Industrialization Day ( resolution 44/237 of 22 December 1989). The Day is intended to mobilize the commitment of the international community to the industrialization of Africa.